No bride here. This monthly blog post from UNM Libraries’ Latin American Collections appropriates (and modifies) a memorable British rhyme to offer a two escudo (Spanish gold coin -- thanks to our Acquisitions Specialist, Wendy Pedersen, for this brilliant nugget) on new Latin American acquisitions as well as long-standing strengths and usage. The connections between people, places, research, and collections are most important to our vitality.

Here’s your something new/nuevo/novo

This periodic blog post. It comes with the organizational shift of Latin American Collections from Public Services to the Center for Southwest Research (CSWR) and Special Collections. Our work has NOT changed but we have improved access to UNM's most distinctive material and we’ll be passing it along to you. If you need help you can find me (Suzanne Schadl, Curator) by scheduling an appointment online (that's new too).

Enough of the organizational stuff. We have tangible new materials as well. The recently acquired Wirikuta Print Collection from several print makers in Mexico City is one example. This collection includes 26 screen-prints, 3 woodblock prints and 1 aquatint etching as well as some insightful writing. Together these materials address anti-mining activism and the Huichol peoples in La Sierra Decatorce, San Luis Potosi. We purchased this material thanks to the Karno Endowment, which enables us to build on long standing strengths in Latin American Art. Please click to learn about other visual collections.

Here's your algo old/viejo/velho

The best of UNM's Latin American collections have been in the CSWR and/or Special Collections since we distinguished rare and valuable materials. Here are some #s to think about:

Of 65,000 print books in the CSWR – more than 30% are written in Spanish (about 11,000), Portuguese (about 9000) or native languages from Latin America (about 60)

In the largest CSWR subject category -- Languages, Literature and Linguistics -- holdings in Spanish, Portuguese and Native Latin American Languages actually outnumber all other languages, including English

Among CSWR and Special Collections holdings dated between 1500-1700 Spanish, Portuguese and Nahuatl (152) outnumber holdings in English (149) but not Latin (230)

Of 590 items (listed under PICT in the CSWR) 188 explicitly name a recognized Latin American or Iberian country or use the access term Hispanic American or Chicano. This amounts to 32% of the Pictorial Holdings in CSWR and Special Collections

Of 817 items (listed under MSS in the CSWR) 178 explicitly name a recognized Latin American or Iberian country or use the access term Hispanic American or Chicano. This amounts to 22% of Manuscript Holdings in CSWR.

Here’s your something borrowed/prestado(same in Portuguese)

We have been fortunate to welcome Thiago da Costa Lopes this month. He comes to us via the University of Maryland, where he is currently doing dissertation research in the United States. Thiago da Costa Lopes is is a PhD Candidate in Brazil's Programa de Pós-Graduação in História das Ciências e da Saúde at the Casa de Oswaldo Cruz/Fundação Oswaldo Cruz in Rio de Janeiro. His research at UNM has been focused on the T.Lynn Smith Papers. The late T. Lynn Smith was a rural sociologist and Professor of Sociology at Louisiana State University (1931-1947), Vanderbilt University (1947-1949) and the University of Florida (1949-1974). His body of work -- and thus papers -- address rural sociology and demography in the US South and in Brazil and Colombia. He was an agricultural advisor on Latin America to the US Department of State. In addition to data and research notes, this collection includes correspondence and a rich archive of pamphlets addressing topics like immigration, development, and sustainability.

Here’s your something blue/azul (same in Portuguese)

This new children's book by UNM Spanish Professors, Dr. Anna M. Nogar and Dr. Enrique la Madrid employs historical accounts to weave a fictional tale of a relationship between New Mexico’s Lady in Blue, Sor Maria de Jesus Agreda, and a young Tiwa speaking Puebloan woman, Paf Sheuri. You can find Sor Maria Agreda’s works in our catalog.

Those are your doubloons (think of them as gems) for August 2017. ﻿Until next month! If you need help getting to any of these materials or others, please contact me at schadl@unm.edu